Melting glaciers, rising temperatures and droughts are all impacts of what?« Back to Previous Page

Melting glaciers, rising temperatures and droughts are all impacts of global warming. But how does global warming actually affect the oceans? The sea, it turns out, absorbs carbon dioxide emissions. The ocean acts like a giant sponge, absorbing carbon dioxide emissions from the air. And as we add more and more carbon dioxide to air by burning fossil fuels, the ocean is absorbing it. On one level, it's done us a big favor. Scientists say that we would be experiencing much more extreme climate change were it not for the ocean's ability to remove the heat-trapping gas. However, these emissions are causing the oceans to become more acidic. Changing pH levels threaten entire marine food webs, from coral reefs to salmon. See http://www. kqed. org/quest/radio/acidic-seas for additional information.